The Sword in the Stone
by mctazman
Summary: Instead of the Sword of Gryffindor, Harry manages to get Excalibur out of the stone in the Chamber of Secrets. Rating's just in case, might change.
1. Chapter 1

AN: The first couple of paragraphs are directly from Chamber of Secrets. As is some of the other text. Obviously, I didn't write them.

Chapter 1

"NO!" Harry heard Riddle screaming. "LEAVE THE BIRD! LEAVE THE BIRD! THE BOY IS BEHIND YOU. YOU CAN STILL SMELL HIM. KILL HIMI"

The blinded serpent swayed, confused, still deadly. Fawkes was circling its head, piping his eerie song, jabbing here and there at its scaly nose as the blood poured from its ruined eyes.

"Help me, help me," Harry muttered wildly, "someone – anyone"

The snake's tail whipped across the floor again. Harry ducked. Something soft hit his face. The basilisk had swept the Sorting Hat into Harry's arms. Harry seized it. It was all he had left, his only chance - he rammed it onto his head and threw himself flat onto the floor as the basilisk's tail swung over him again.

'Help me - help me' Harry thought, his eyes screwed tight under the hat. 'Please help me'

There was no answering voice. Instead, the hat contracted, as though an invisible hand was squeezing it very tightly. Something very hard and heavy thudded onto the top of Harry's head, almost knocking him out. Stars winking in front of his eyes, he grabbed

the top of the hat to pull it off.

Harry put the hat on the ground next to him and was surprised to see it grow larger at the brim. The hat seemed to rise as well, revealing a pyramid-shaped structure, clearly made out of stone. The hat kept rising, eventually falling to the ground. The stone pyramid had a sword sticking out of it. Harry didn't hesitate, grabbed the sword and pulled with all his strength.

As soon as the sword cleared the stone, several things happened at the same time, in several locations throughout Hogwarts castle. Four people 'blinked' out of, and back into, existence. Harry amongst them. The ghosts of each house all looked in the direction of the Chamber of Secrets and seemed to become slightly more solid. On the seventh floor a door appeared and disappeared and a loud gong sounded throughout the entire castle.

Riddle didn't see any of this. He only had eyes for the blinded snake, shouting instructions on where Harry was. When he did look at Harry, he was certain that there was something different about the twelve-year old. He seemed to stand taller, more confident, ready to attack, with a sword in hand.

Harry charged the snake. He knew what to do. He had trained years for this moment, and for what was coming.

Harry moved with the grace of a ballet dancer, with the speed of an Olympian athlete, wielded the sword with the skill of the knights of yesteryear.

The snake lunged at him as Harry charged forward. There was a plan and he was sticking to it. No matter how scared he was. The snake opened its mouth to bite and Harry seized his chance.

He thrust the sword upwards into the roof of the snake's mouth. Harry felt one of the fangs entering his arm and breaking off.

Harry heard the cry of victory coming from the Riddle apparition. Ignoring the spasms of the dying snake, Harry yanked the fang out of his arm and quickly made his way over to the lying form of Ginny Weasley. The diary was still lying next to her, Harry saw.

Without acknowledging Riddle, even for a second, he knelt next to the diary and stabbed it with the Basilisk fang. There was a long, dreadful, piercing scream. Ink spurted out of the diary in torrents, streaming over Harry's hands, flooding the floor. Riddle was writhing and twisting, screaming and flailing and then He had gone.

Harry sat down on the ground, trembling as the adrenaline was leaving his body. He felt the Basilisk poison weakening his body. Fawkes landed next to him and moved his head to Harry's wound.

"'lo Fawkes," Harry weakly said. "Could you wait a bit, please?"

The, obviously intelligent, bird looked at him in a questioningly way. As if to say 'are you insane?'

"Just long enough for my scar to break open, please. It's important," Harry managed to say, before passing out.

-o0o0o—

Harry woke up with a blinding headache. He felt his forehead and was relieved to feel the blood flowing freely from his scar.

"It worked," he muttered to himself.

Suddenly he felt an impact and saw nothing but red. Ginny had awoken, apparently. She was holding Harry tightly, sobbing her heart out.

"Oh Harry, I thought you were dead. It's all my fault, Harry," she wailed and completely broke down.

"No, it's not Ginny. It's all Riddle's fault," Harry gently said.

He extricated himself from her tight hold to sit up and look around him. The Basilisk was dead, Riddle was gone, the diary ruined, he was still bleeding from his head and Fawkes was apparently waiting for them to move.

"We need to get out of here, Ginny. You up to a bit of walking?" Harry softly asked his best friend's little sister.

Ginny was still too distraught to manage an intelligible sentence, so she just nodded her head. They both stood up. Harry took the time to gather up the diary and the sword, took Ginny's hand and lead her to the cave-in caused by that incompetent idiot Lockheart.

When they reached the location of Lockheart's downfall, Harry noticed that Ron had managed to create a hole in the wall of stone. The hole looked big enough for him to just squeeze through. Ginny, being smaller, shouldn't have any difficulties at all. Fawkes just flew through it, ignoring the stone on all sides of the wall.

"Oi, Ron!" Harry shouted. "We're here. Ginny's okay, I've got her with me. We're coming through."

Harry heard a whoop of joy coming from the other side of the blockage, a thud and a "ouch!". Ron apparently had hurt Lockheart in his jubilations. Harry and Ginny started to climb through the hole. Ron pulled his sister through it and held her in a tight embrace.

"You're alive! I don't believe it! What happened? How - what - where did that bird come from?" Ron asked.

"He's Dumbledore's," said Harry, squeezing through himself.

"How come you've got a sword?" said Ron, gaping at the glittering weapon in Harry's hand.

"I'll explain when we get out of here," said Harry.

Harry lead the four humans and one phoenix to the entrance to the Chamber. He instructed them all to hold hands. Ron had to force Lockheart to take his hand, Ginny was being held by both Ron and Harry, whereas Harry had taken a hold of one of Fawkes' tail feathers. Feeling a strange lightness flowing through him.

Fawkes had them back in the bathroom in no time at all.

Myrtle goggled at them.

"You're alive," she said blankly to Harry.

"There's no need to sound so disappointed," he said grimly, wiping flecks of blood and slime off his glasses. Deciding not to engage the surly ghost any more than he had to, Harry turned to leave.

"Where are we going?" Ron asked, still keeping a tight hold on a sobbing Ginny.

"McGonagall's office," Harry said. "I'll explain everything there."

-o0o0o—

A/N: New story, or at least the start of one. Damn plot bunny kept borrowing in me mind. Short first chapter, and no idea when I'll update this one. After the Fall (11955777) has priority, I think.

Let me know what you guys think. All reviews are welcome. The next chapter will come when it arrives.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The four walked from Myrtle's bathroom to McGonagall's office. As both the bathroom and the office were on the same floor, the walk was a short one. Instead of knocking, Harry just stood there, apparently waiting.

"What's the hold up?" Ron asked.

"We're just waiting on a few people," Harry answered.

"Who?" Ron wanted to know.

"You'll see," came the cryptic answer from Harry.

Ron didn't have to wait long for the first person to show up. To his great astonishment, Hermione came running to the quartet.

"What the-" Ron stammered.

"Eloquent as always, Ronald," said Hermione.

"You're supposed to be petrified in the Hospital wing," the red-head said.

"Relax Ron, all will be explained later. We're just waiting on two other people, before we can go in," Harry said, quickly preventing an interrogation.

Daphne Greengrass was the next person to arrive. She came running around the corner, frantically looking for someone. Quickly finding her target, she bolted for Harry and hugged him fiercely.

"You did it!" she said, just as Neville rounded the same corner.

"I did," Harry said, and he kissed her.

Before Ron had any time whatsoever to process what was happening between the Gryffindor Golden Boy and the Slytherin Ice Queen, he saw Neville and Hermione embracing. To his everlasting shock, Neville proceeded to copy Harry and kissed Hermione.

"Wha-, who-, wha-, uh…" the boy stammered.

"Nicely spoken, Ron," Harry jibed. "Ready to go inside and hear some of the explanations?"

Still absolutely dumbstruck, Ron could only nod as Harry knocked on the office-door and opened it.

The adults inside had clearly not heard any of what happened outside the door, as they all looked at the assembled group with surprise on their faces. Inside were professor McGonagall, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and professor Dumbledore, who was beaming knowingly at Harry and his friends.

Before anyone could actually say anything though, a scream of 'GINNY!' sounded through the office, followed by a Mrs. Weasley bolting for her only daughter.

Harry had no eyes for this emotional moment, though. His eyes were firmly locked on the headmaster, who had by now noticed the presence of one Hermione Granger. If the years of training hadn't prepared Harry for it, he undoubtedly would have shown his amusement of the look on the old man's face.

"You saved her! You saved her! How did you do it?" Mrs. Weasley said, still holding Ginny tightly in her arms.

"I think we'd all like to know that," said professor McGonagall with a trembling voice, looking at Hermione, Neville and Daphne.

"What I'm most interested in," began Dumbledore, "is how Ms. Granger managed to overcome the petrification."

"I'll explain what I can," Harry said. "But unfortunately I can't tell you how Hermione woke up."

Harry felt the surface scan Dumbledore preformed on his thoughts. 'I hate legilimency,' Harry thought, but was still able to use the prepared set of memories and thoughts. Sending these to the headmaster, he carefully studied the old man's expression. Noticing that, apparently, Dumbledore accepted his lack of knowledge the memories showed, Harry went on to tell his tale.

He explained all about hearing the basilisk all through the year, how Hermione had figured out what it was, how they found the entrance to the Chamber, what had happened when they entered it, how Lockheart's memory got erased, the way Fawkes had come bearing the Sorting Hat, how that helped him to save Ginny and finally how he had destroyed the diary.

"But why destroy the diary?" McGonagall asked.

First Harry chided himself for forgetting to tell the, prepared, story of the diary, before breathing a sigh of relief. He then started explaining all about the Riddle apparition and what it had said and done.

"W-what's that?" said Mr. Weasley in a stunned voice. "You-Know-Who? En-enchant Ginny? But Ginny's not ... Ginny hasn't been ... has she?"

"I would surmise that this," Dumbledore said, pointing to the diary, "is Voldemort's old diary."

"It is," sobbed Ginny, speaking for the first time since the Chamber. "Look inside."

"So it is," said Dumbledore. "It says so on the first page. 'T.M. Riddle', of course not many know that this is Voldemort's true name."

"T-true n-name?" Mrs. Weasley stammered.

"Quite. He was a rather brilliant student, back in the forties. Even became Head Boy in his time. Of course he disappeared after finishing his education with us. When he resurfaced, he had changed so much through various dark rituals that no one would recognise him."

"But, Ginny," said Mrs. Weasley. "What's our Ginny got to do with — with — him?"

"His d-diary" Ginny sobbed. "I've b-been writing in it, and he's been w-writing back all year —"

"Ginny!" said Mr. Weasley, flabbergasted. "Haven't I taught you anything. What have I always told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain? Why didn't you show the diary to me, or your mother? A suspicious object like that, it was clearly full of Dark Magic!"

"I d-didn't know," sobbed Ginny. "I found it inside one of the books Mum got me. I th-thought someone had just left it in there and forgotten about it —"

"Miss Weasley should go up to the hospital wing right away," Dumbledore interrupted in a firm voice. "This has been a terrible ordeal for her. There will be no punishment. Older and wiser wizards than she, have been hoodwinked by Lord Voldemort." He strode over to the door and opened it. "Bed rest and perhaps a large, steaming mug of hot chocolate. I always find that cheers me up," he added, twinkling kindly down at her. "You will find that Madam Pomfrey is still awake. She's clearly busy giving out Mandrake juice," he pointed towards Hermione. "I daresay the basilisk's victims will be waking up any moment, if they're not already awake."

With that the four Weasleys left the office for the Hospital wing.

"Professor McGonagall," Dumbledore said. "I think this event warrants a feast, don't you? Could I trouble you to go down to the kitchens and make the necessary arrangements?"

"Of course headmaster," the professor said. "I'll leave you to deal with Potter then, shall I?"

"Certainly," said Dumbledore.

Harry just stood there stoically. He was calmly awaiting what would happen. Neville, Daphne and Hermione were standing somewhat to the back, also calmly awaiting what was to come.

"If I'm informed correctly, mister Potter, the Mandrake potion should not have been completed until a few minutes ago, giving miss Granger here not enough time to reach this office after waking up. Do you know anything about this?"

"There's nothing I can think of that I can say to that, sir," Harry said.

Dumbledore just nodded and turned his attention to the girl in question. "What about you, miss Granger? Any thoughts on the matter?"

"No sir," she said. "As far as I'm aware, I've been woken up by the restorative Mandrake potion."

Dumbledore just nodded his acceptance of these answers. "But one of us seems to be keeping mightily quiet about his part in this dangerous adventure," Dumbledore added. "Of course, the memory charm. Impaled upon your own sword, Gilderoy?"

"Sword?" said Lockhart dimly. "Haven't got a sword. That boy has, though." He pointed at Harry. "He'll lend you one."

"Would you three mind taking Professor Lockhart up to the infirmary, too?" Dumbledore said to Neville, Daphne and Hermione. "I'd like a few more words with Harry..."

"I'd rather stay with Harry, if you don't mind sir." Said Daphne.

"We'll take him," said Hermione, escorting both Lockheart and Neville out of the door.

"Please take a seat, Harry," Dumbledore said as Hermione closed the door. "And you, miss Greengrass." Noticing that the two clasped hands as soon as they said, the headmaster remarked; "I had no idea you two were in any way close."

"Why would you, sir? You never asked me," Harry calmly said.

"Quite right," Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling madly. "First of all, Harry, I want to thank you. You must have shown me real loyalty down in the Chamber. Nothing but that could have called Fawkes to you."

He stroked the phoenix, which had fluttered down onto his knee. Harry grinned awkwardly as Dumbledore watched him.

"And so you met Tom Riddle," said Dumbledore thoughtfully. "I imagine he was most interested in you..."

"He was," said Harry. "He mentioned that we're a lot alike. I guess I see his point, but I really don't agree with him."

"Really?" Dumbledore said inquiringly. "Please elaborate."

"Well, we sort of look alike, have similar backgrounds, sure. But he went to Slytherin, whereas I went to Gryffindor. He chose to falsely accuse a fellow student to get out of an uncomfortable situation, where I would never do such a thing. All in all, he's a psychopath, whereas I'm not."

"Indeed," Dumbledore, chuckling merrily. "The things you said make you very different from Tom Riddle. It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities. On another subject, I seem to remember telling both mister Weasley and yourself that I would have to expel you if you broke any more school rules. Which goes to show that the best of us must sometimes eat our words," Dumbledore went on, smiling. "You will both receive Special Awards for Services to the School and — let me see — yes, I think two hundred points apiece for Gryffindor."

Harry smiled at these words. This would secure the House Cup win for Gryffindor. Something he hadn't thought about in a long time.

"One last thing, Harry. Could I have a look at that sword you're holding?" Dumbledore asked.

Hesitating for the smallest fraction of a second, Harry stood up and presented the sword to the headmaster. As Dumbledore reached out to take the sword, it disappeared.

"Curious," the old man said. "Where did you get that sword, Harry?"

"Like I said, sir. It came out of the Sorting Hat."

Dumbledore's face clearly showed that he was thinking very hard on what Harry just said.

"What you need, Harry," he said after some time, "is some food and sleep. I suggest you go down to the feast, while I write to Azkaban —we need our gamekeeper back. And I must draft an advertisement for the Daily Prophet, too," he added Thoughtfully. "We'll be needing a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher... Dear me, we do seem to run through them, don't we?"

As Harry got up and turned to help Daphne out of her chair, the door of the office bust open quite violently, revealing one Lucius Malfoy. The man clearly was furious about something. Harry turned to look at Daphne and felt her put something in the hand that Malfoy senior couldn't see. She winked at him.

Harry took a good look at the elder Malfoy and saw Dobby cowering behind the man's legs. He knew what he had to do.

"Good evening, Lucius," said Dumbledore politely.

Mr. Malfoy strode over to the desk, knocking both Daphne and Harry out of his way. Dobby was scurrying in after him, a look of terror on his face.

The elf was clearly in the middle of polishing Malfoy's shoes when they took off. He still had the rag in his hand and was still attempting to finish his task.

"So!" he said "You've come back. The governors suspended you, but you still saw fit to return to Hogwarts."

"Well, you see, Lucius," said Dumbledore, smiling serenely, "the other eleven governors contacted me today. It was something like being caught in a hailstorm of owls, to tell the truth. They'd heard that Arthur Weasleys daughter had been killed and wanted me back here at once. They seemed to think I was the best man for the job after all. Very strange tales they told me, too...Several of them seemed to think that you had threatened to curse their families if they didn't agree to suspend me in the first place."

Mr. Malfoy went even paler than usual, but his eyes were still slits of fury. "So — have you stopped the attacks yet?" he sneered. "Have you caught the culprit?"

"We have," said Dumbledore, with a smile.

"Well?" said Mr. Malfoy sharply. "Who is it?"

"Depends," Harry interrupted.

Mr. Malfoy turned around quickly to look at Harry. "What do you mean, boy?" he sneered.

"Well, Mr. Malfoy," Harry said, ignoring both Dumbledore and Daphne, who were giving him looks of warning. "It depends on who you consider 'the culprit', sir. If by 'culprit' you consider the being who actually attacked the students… The basilisk is dead, so not really caught per se. If you mean the person who initiated the whole thing, she was under the influence of external factors. If you take 'culprit' to mean the mean required to commit all the actions, the diary has been destroyed. And finally, if you mean the person who instigated this whole sordid affair… Well, he's standing in front of me," Harry finished.

The colour in Mr. Malfoy's face kept draining throughout Harry's explanation. Dumbledore's expression was one of pride in Harry's words. Daphne just looked like she was either going to berate, or kiss, Harry for his little speech.

"You'll never be able to prove any of this," Mr. Malfoy said through gritted teeth.

"Oh, no one will be able to do that," said Dumbledore, still smiling at Harry. "Not now that Riddle has vanished from the book. On the other hand, I would advise you, Lucius, not to go giving out any more of Lord Voldemort's old school things. If any more of them find their way into innocent hands, I think Arthur Weasley, for one, will make sure they are traced back to you..."

Lucius Malfoy stood for a moment, and Harry distinctly saw his right hand twitch as though he was longing to reach for his wand. Instead, he turned to his house-elf. "We're going, Dobby!"

"One moment, Mr. Malfoy," Harry interrupted again and the man turned to him. "I thought you would like your possession returned to you." With that, Harry tossed the diary at the senior Malfoy, who instinctively caught the offending book.

"Arrogant little whelp," he seethed, throwing the diary towards Dobby. "You'll end up like your pa -"

He never got to finish his threat though. Clearly Dumbledore did not appreciate someone threatening the students in his care. He was standing, positively radiating power and magic.

"Choose your next words extremely careful, Lucius. I will not allow you to threaten any of my students," the headmaster said. Although his voice was calm and quiet, the threat of repercussions was felt by all present.

Mr. Malfoy took a moment to stare at Dumbledore and decided that discretion actually was the better part of valour. He turned to the door and walked out.

"Come, Dobby!" he spat, noticing that the elf hadn't moved an inch. "I said, come!"

Dobby was looking inside the diary, which he had caught. Mr. Malfoy's eyes nearly popped out when he saw the, rather feminine, sock within the pages.

"Master has given a sock," said the elf in wonderment. "Master gave it to Dobby. Got a sock," said Dobby in disbelief. "Master threw it, and Dobby caught it, and Dobby — Dobby is free."

Lucius Malfoy stood frozen, staring at the elf Then he lunged at Harry. "You've lost me my servant, boy!"

But Dobby shouted, "You shall not harm Harry Potter!"

There was a loud bang, and Mr. Malfoy was thrown backward, crashing into the wall opposite.

"LUCIUS MALFOY!" thundered Dumbledore. "You will leave these premises immediately. I will also alert the governors of your behaviour towards a student of this school."

Mr. Malfoy clambered to his feet, made an attempt to straighten his robes and left as quickly as his bruised ego would allow.

"Harry Potter freed Dobby!" said the elf shrilly, gazing up at Harry, moonlight from the nearest window reflected in his orb-like eyes. "Harry Potter set Dobby free!"

"Least I could do, Dobby," said Harry, grinning. "How would you like to come work for me? I promise I'll treat you loads better than that… man… did."

If Harry hadn't seen it himself, he would never have believed the size Dobby's eyes managed to reach, nor how wide his grin became. Harry could've done without the tears, though. He also thought that the hugging of his legs was a tad excessive. Then again, Dobby was one strange elf.

"I take it you agree?" he asked, just in case.

"Yes, Master Harry Potter, sir," the elf squeaked.

"Okay, how do we do this?" Harry asked.

Dobby explained what was needed in order to bond an elf to either a person, or a House. As Harry was planning, tentatively, on raising children when he was old enough, he decided to bond Dobby with House Potter. When the bonding was done, he received a loving kiss from Daphne.

"That was very nice of you, Harry," she said.

"It was indeed," Dumbledore said. "I daresay that having a house elf will prove to be very beneficial in the future. Now, I believe I had ordered you two to go to the Hospital wing." The twinkling in his eyes made sure that both Harry and Daphne understood they weren't admonished in any way.

"Ready to face the music?" Harry asked Daphne, who just silently nodded.

They left for the Hospital wing and the tender mercies of one Poppy Pomfrey.

-o0o0o—

A/N: Well, here's the second chapter. Hope you guys like it. Let me know what you guys think. All reviews are welcome.

As I had some complaints on the italics in the last chapter, I removed them from there & didn't use them here (obviously).

As per usual, the next chapter will come when it arrives.


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